Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Truffles

December 22, 2017

Happy holidays everyone! With the holiday festivities, I’ve been getting more than my fair share of dairy, and gluten (just look at my last few posts… eep!)! While eating an entire box of these tasty truffles won’t do your waistline any wonders, they are vegan, dairy free, and gluten free making them the perfect treat EVERYONE can enjoy! Except those people who don’t like chocolate. They can stop reading right now. 😛

My friend Alicia from Eat Your Way Clean and I teamed up to make some gluten and dairy free holiday treats for you and your loved ones! Alicia is known for making DELICIOUS foods that work with her gluten free / dairy free diet (you can learn more about her journey here). Check out her Grandma’s Gluten Free cut out cookies, 2 ingredient blender frosting, and English Toffee Bars here! In addition to the delicious treats Alicia baked up, I’ve got a decadent vegan, gluten, dairy free truffle recipe for you too. But if you’re not in the mood for truffles, the ganache is the perfect topping to Alicia’s Toffee Bars, too! Now that’s what I call good.

Alicia’s cut out cookies. Don’t they look delish?

Toffee Bars

Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Truffles

These truffles are so creamy and chocolate-y you won’t even notice all they’re missing! Made with almond milk, raw cocoa butter, fair trade dark chocolate, and cocoa powder these truffles are gluten and dairy free AND they’re vegan. Heck yes, a dessert that everyone can enjoy!

For those who wish to ALSO make this treat refined sugar free – swap out the dark chocolate for bittersweet dark chocolate and sweeten with your choice of honey or stevia.

Truffling Tips

Gentle indirect heat is KEY. When melting chocolate, avoid heating the chocolate directly (ex. putting it in the microwave on full blast or directly on the stove in a saucepan). Intense heat will cause the chocolate to seize up and become grainy – not the smooth creamy texture you want from truffles! You’ll want to melt the chocolate using scalding almond milk or over a hot water bath.

Be patient! Yes, the ganache needs to cool for at LEAST 5 hours to set before you make the truffles. I know, because I suck at waiting and took them out of the fridge too early the first time. These truffles are worth the wait.

Cocoa powder liberally. Cocoa powder is what make truffles individual treats rather than one big clump of chocolate. Don’t be afraid to use cocoa powder liberally.

Keep it cold. Your hands will melt the chocolate. Make sure the ganache is fresh out of the refrigerator when molding the truffles and try to limit your direct contact with the truffles as much as you can. Some people like to keep a Ziploc bag full of ice to cool your hands between truffles… I personally don’t because ain’t nobody got time for that.

Get dirty. You are working with chocolate. It will melt. You hands will look gross… it will all be worth it.

Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Truffles

Truffles so decadent you won’t even notice what they’re missing.

3/4 cup original unsweetened almond milk

35 g raw cocoa butter (approx. 3 cubes)

300 g fair trade dark chocolate

1 pinch sea salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder

In a small saucepan, bring almond milk and cocoa butter to a boil.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. The smaller, the faster they will melt. Add chocolate to a heatproof bowl.

Pour the scalding cocoa butter and almond milk over the chocolate. Let sit for 10 seconds and stir gently.

Continue stirring until chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. This is the ganache.

Cover ganache with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 5 hours.

When you are ready to form the truffles, place a generous layer of cocoa powder on a plate. Lightly dust your hands with cocoa powder to reduce sticking.

Scoop chilled ganache into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll between your palms to form a ball.

Roll the truffle in more cocoa powder, place aside. Repeat with the remaining ganache.